Why our new Broncos team matters

THE fast growing world of women's rugby league made even bigger strides last week when the Broncos and Dragons signed their first players for the inaugural NRL premiership.

With the competition set to kick off in September, Brisbane announced the signings of Queensland and Jillaroos stars Brittany Breayley, Ali Brigginshaw and Heather Ballinger, as well as Kiwi Ferns powerhouse Teuila Fotu-Moala.

New Zealand International Teuila Fotu-Moala has signed with the Broncos. Photo Lachie Millard.

They also handed one of their 22 playing contracts to young Jillaroos half Caitlin Moran, who has been ruled out for the season with an ACL injury but has a big future.

Down south, the Dragons were the first team to have players put pen to paper, with Kezie Apps, Samantha Bremner, Talesha Quinn and Rikeya Horne all joining the club.

The remaining two teams, the Roosters and the Warriors, are yet to announce their first signings, but there is no doubt they will be rolling out some big names soon.

It's a historic month for women's rugby league, with the players also set to take part in their annual interstate clash on June 22, playing for the first time under the State of Origin banner.

To those on the outside, it may seem like just a simple and logical step forward for the women's game and the NRL.

But these signings and the year ahead are massive for the athletes and their supporters.

Here are five reasons why this matters.

1. THE PAST

Women's rugby league has burst onto the sporting scene over the past three years.

One of the biggest turning points was the inclusion of the Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns at the Auckland Nines tournament, alongside all 16 NRL clubs.

From here, greater attention has been given to the interstate challenge between Queensland and NSW as well as the international game, culminating in a televised World Cup last year.

But there are many great athletes who have helped build the women's game to this point that were never able to enjoy what today's players are experiencing.

Names like Karyn Murphy, Tahnee Norris, Tarsha Gale, Nat Dwyer and Jo Barrett were massively influential on the growth of rugby league but are now long retired.

Tahnee Norris, a trailblazer in her playing days, is now coach of the highly successful Burleigh women's team. Photo: Mike Batterham.

Queensland dominated the interstate challenge for 17 years straight, often playing at suburban grounds in front of a handful of supporters.

These players had to pay their own way to compete at the international level, selling their own cars to be able to do so.

As Broncos women's coach and former Jillaroos assistant coach Paul Dyer describes it, they made major sacrifices for a game that few even knew existed.

"Ten years ago you would have never thought this would happen," he said of the upcoming NRL premiership.

"Girls like Karyn Murphy and Tahnee Norris and those legends of the past, they used to pay $4000 and sleep in a scout hall for the privilege of playing for Australia."

While the deserved acknowledgment of the players of the past may never come, these advancements will matter greatly to them. They laid the foundations for this to be possible.

2. THE PRESENT

Jillaroos prop Heather Ballinger grew up on a sheep and cattle station outside of Longreach.

There was no power on her property, so to be able to watch the Broncos she had to beg her parents to turn on the generator.

As of last Friday, Ballinger is now a Bronco herself.

"Right up until now I never ever thought there would be an opportunity for women to be playing at this level," she said.

"When they announced the women's premiership, I was just happy, excited and thrilled that we'd been given this chance.

"I get really emotional about it. It's not going to really hit me until I put on the jersey and run out there and realise I am fulfilling something I've been chasing without knowing I was chasing it.

"I get the goose bumps and that shiver feeling that runs down your spine. That to me … shows my emotion and excitement towards being part of the Brisbane Broncos."

Heather Ballinger in action for the Jillaroos. Photo: Adam Head

Like Murphy and Norris before her, Ballinger has been part of some of the tougher years of women's rugby league.

But now she will also get to experience the other side.

One of the top 40 NRL-contracted players, the Australian Federal Police officer will be paid for the first time to play the game she loves.

It is a dream come true for many of today's players, particularly the older generation like Ballinger, Ruan Sims and Steph Hancock, who doubted this day would arrive.

For the younger generation, like Ballinger's Brisbane teammate Teuila Fotu-Moala, this is the chance to set themselves up as pioneers of the women's NRL competition and become stars of the game.

The Kiwi Fern will relocate from Auckland for the eight weeks of training and competition in August and September.

Nicknamed "The Jukebox" by Broncos great Darren Lockyer, because the "hits just keep on coming", Fotu-Moala is embracing the chance to expand her rugby league skills in Australia.

"Knowing I will put on the same jersey (Lockyer) did, it's a dream come true," she said.

"It's everyone's dream to play in the NRL and it's awesome we get the opportunity to do that too.

"The Broncos have been really supportive … just being here, it looks like I can be away from home for quite a bit. I love it here."

3. THE FUTURE

The women's game is the fastest growing area of rugby league.

In 2017, there was a 32 per cent increase in female participation across all age groups, more than 100 female-only rugby league competitions operating across Australia and more than 240,000 participants taking part in competitions and schools across the country.

Once upon a time, girls had to give the game up at the age of 13 and it was often difficult to take it up again in their early 20s due to limited opportunities.

We are talking about girls like Ali Brigginshaw, Karina Brown and Maddie Studdon, who were all part of Australia's World Cup-winning squad.

But now the NRL, QRL and NSWRL are helping to build the right pathways so young girls don't have to walk away from the game.

Brigginshaw, another who signed with the Broncos this week, said one of the most important aspects of this competition was showing aspiring female players that there is a way to the top.

"If you've followed the women's rugby league over the last 10 years, you would watch these girls, see how committed they are," he said.

"They run in park football in front of two or three people and most of those people are their families that come and watch them.

"They're just as committed as the men, they play the game just as tough as the men and I think for us as a code in the NRL and for us as a club in the Broncos to recognise that and finally put these girls forward and give them what they deserve, that's a really important step into the future.

"Not too far into the distant future we may see our first full-time women's rugby league players.

"To think in September they'll play in front of big crowds and in big stadiums is really exciting.

"I get to hear the excitement on the end of the phone (when offering contracts) … I can only imagine what that's going to be like when they pull on the jersey for the first time."